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Old 06-26-2017, 02:27 PM   #1
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Name: Mark
Trailer: In the market
North Carolina
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electric vs. propane

Hi,
I am new to the fiberglass community and also wanting to join the exciting world of camping. My wife an I have a small beach house and our vacations seem to always become work. Anyway, I have been reading about all the differant fg campers in the 17' range with wet bath, we both really like the lil snoozy and are planning a trip to the manufacturer. My question is and i'm sure this has been asked before but i couldn't find it when searching.
Is just having electric okay?
Thanks in advance and i have really enjoyed reading all of the post from around the camping world here.
Mark from Greensboro NC
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Old 06-26-2017, 02:45 PM   #2
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If you use the Google Site Search box at the bottom of the search menu and type in "Snoozy" you can read dozens of contrary opinions, including a thread from only yesterday.
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Old 06-26-2017, 03:00 PM   #3
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Well only you can answer that question.

If your meaning 120 volts AC then you will be limited to developed campsites which are more expensive and less available. Depending on the way you want to camp You may have to add a generator to provide 120 volts.

If the system also has 12 volts DC then you have a converter in your 120 volt AC system to convert the AC power to 12 volt DC and you can run limited on your battery's while not connected to 120 volt ac. 12 volts DC wont last long without recharging. Most refrigerators wont run very long without killing your battery's and forget about any air conditioner. So if your leaning towards electric operation only your stuck with campgrounds with available power or running a generator if you have air conditioning.

There are rules and limitations with generators in most places.

There is also the solar option to charge your batteries but this is limited too so in most cases no air conditioner. This also becomes a problem if you want heat in your trailer for off season camping as power consumption becomes a problem when your not plugged into a land line.

Where I camp mostly there is no 120 volt ac. I wouldn't be without propane as heat and the fridge working is important to me. I use solar to keep my battery charged for lights and a fan if necessary.

I do use 120 volt at home where my trailer is parked it is very convenient there and it keeps my battery fully charged ready to go on a quick whim.

for me propane is very important, solar is important and 120 volt ac isnt important at all since I have no air conditioner.
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Old 06-26-2017, 03:44 PM   #4
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...as long as you only camp where there is 120vac available, there is no real problem...personally, I almost always camp where there is such BUT, still I prefer propane for coking/heating...be aware, most campgrounds have restrictions on generator usage, with quiet times between 10pm to 8am...or even more restrictive.....

The lil snoozy's are very nice units but are wider than most fg campers and as such have their own set of problems dealing with the 8'width (nothing seriously insurmountable).....
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Old 06-26-2017, 03:50 PM   #5
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We boondock for days, sometimes a week at a time. It's our favorite way of camping with the RV. So, we consider propane for running the fridge and for cooking to be indispensable. We also have solar for the same reason. Yes, you can boondock for an extended period with an all electric trailer, but not without solar or a generator.

Determine how you want to use the trailer. Where are you going to camp? If it's just for weekend jaunts or at campgrounds with hookups, an all electric won't be a problem.
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Old 06-26-2017, 05:20 PM   #6
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As was pointed out above if you go without propane then you're limited to campground I.E. RV Resorts, that have power. With propane you can camp anywhere and have heat, cook surface and refrigeration.

Our camping style is that we are never plugged in. I think that last time I had power was over Christmas 2 years ago. Our camping trips are anywhere from 3 months+ to a week. Propane is a must for us.
Without propane refrigeration would be a problem.
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Old 06-26-2017, 06:24 PM   #7
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As was pointed out above if you go without propane then you're limited to campground I.E. RV Resorts, that have power. With propane you can camp anywhere and have heat, cook surface and refrigeration.

Our camping style is that we are never plugged in. I think that last time I had power was over Christmas 2 years ago. Our camping trips are anywhere from 3 months+ to a week. Propane is a must for us.
Without propane refrigeration would be a problem.
Exactly! Friends of ours tried our style of camping once and had to run a diesel generator to power their fridge. To keep the food cold they probably spent about $50 for the weekend and annoyed even themselves with the noise. Our Scamp 16 at the time out camped and outclassed a $300k+ motor coach in a national forest campground. Our beer was just as cold, and a lot quieter too.

I would absolutely never get a camper of any type without simple propane. To each his own but to me, it ain't camping.
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Old 06-26-2017, 08:39 PM   #8
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Name: Mark
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North Carolina
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Thanks to all for all the very detailed explanation of why propane is a much needed benefit while camping....that is the feeling that i am having and exactly why I asked the question....not sure why lil snoozy does not offer propane for the very reasons that you guys have mentioned, for that reason alone, i am leaning toward Casita, my wife really likes the lil snoozy so I have to explain the electric/propane deal. I had on our list of campers,
Casita, Lil snoozy, Parkliner.
Any other campers that i should put on the list? Qe will probably start with long weekends at the NC mountains and coast and after a year or so venture out to the 7-10 day trips. The keys, toward Maine and out west.
Again, thanks for all the information from people that have already experienced things that i haven't been thru yet.
Mark from Greensboro.
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Old 06-26-2017, 08:48 PM   #9
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Well, I'd look at Escape, but I own one.
You get the advantage of the exchange rate and a well made trailer that you can order as you like it, from owners that care.
http://escapetrailer.com/
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Old 06-26-2017, 09:01 PM   #10
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That is a really sharp camper....how hard is the process of buying and picking one up?
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Old 06-26-2017, 09:22 PM   #11
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We've owned a Casita and now own an Escape. Compare the floorplans. We wanted a large permanent bed and a roomy dinette. Without at least a small dinette, you have no place to sit (think bad weather) other than taking up the bed. The only Casita with a permanent dinette has a small dinette and a small bed.

Each manufacturer makes decisions on their designs. Depending on your style of camping, those decisions can eliminate them from your choices. Realize all of the manufacturers have ample order backlogs, so no one is hurting for sure!

I highly recommend going to a molded F/G rally and touring several brands and models. That is what introduced us to Escape.
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Old 06-26-2017, 09:40 PM   #12
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It's possible to use your fridge as an icebox if/when it won't run on propane. (We did it last summer in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, when we were at an altitude that was presumably incompatible with our propane regulator, so the fridge would not light.) It means being camped within easy distance of a source of ice, but it only slightly cramped our style.
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Old 06-26-2017, 10:02 PM   #13
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Name: Kathy
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Originally Posted by MSURRATT View Post
That is a really sharp camper....how hard is the process of buying and picking one up?


Escape sells their trailers to US customers all the time. They really know how to do all the necessary paperwork for getting your new trailer across the border. You can pick up your trailer at their plant in Chilliwack, BC if you want to. For an extra fee, they will delivery your trailer to you. So I guess I'd say the process is not that difficult.

Going to a rally is an excellent idea. Egg owners love to show off their rigs and most rallies will have several different brands for you to look at. Also, quite a few of the manufacturers have referral programs. For example, if you call Escape Industries and tell them you'd like to see a trailer, they will give you the name of an Escape owner near you and you can arrange to go see their trailer.

Good luck in making your decision and happy camping!
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Old 06-26-2017, 10:10 PM   #14
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I just spent time on the escape website and will be calling them tomorrow....i thought i had seen that in October a rally is in Cherokee NC and i also the outer banks. I definitely want to get to a rally, any recommendations for 2017?
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Old 06-26-2017, 10:39 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by MSURRATT View Post
I just spent time on the escape website and will be calling them tomorrow....i thought i had seen that in October a rally is in Cherokee NC and i also the outer banks. I definitely want to get to a rally, any recommendations for 2017?
There's one in southern Colorado in September - other forum members may know of more that are relatively close to Arizona. Of course the big one, not really a rally as much as a weeks long event, is the gathering at Quartzite AZ, but that's in the winter.

Even without a rally, it's relatively easy to see different brands in person. Escape as well as some other brands use a referral program. Give them a call and they'll be happy to refer you to an owner in your area who will show you their trailer. I've shown mine in the San Antonio area to prospective buyers maybe 11 or 12 times.
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Old 06-26-2017, 11:32 PM   #16
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Mark, I noticed that your profile states that you live in Arizona, and if so you could come look at our Lil Snoozy, and how I installed propane.
Dave & Paula
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Old 06-26-2017, 11:38 PM   #17
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EggCamper had a nice all electric unit before they went on hiatus.

I haven't plugged in at a campground since the early 70's, and in well over 50 years of camping I haven't used enough propane to empty a 20.

And that was all used while showing potential buyers that things worked.

I use firewood and ice and sleeping bags at my destinations, and I always put a gen mount where the tanks would normally go.

I use the gen traveling to my destination and to charge my batteries when needed.
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Old 06-27-2017, 12:02 AM   #18
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I just spent time on the escape website and will be calling them tomorrow....i thought i had seen that in October a rally is in Cherokee NC and i also the outer banks. I definitely want to get to a rally, any recommendations for 2017?
Ninety percent of Escape buyers are American and importing is no problem. They take the trailer for you to the Washington border where you then take it. (Unless you pay a big bundle to have it delivered to you.) There should be owners in your area to visit.
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Old 06-27-2017, 12:17 AM   #19
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They take it through the border, not to the border.
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Old 06-27-2017, 05:55 AM   #20
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I've had both! I loved the Casita 17 I had and its propane, but I never used the propane heat or cook top. If I camp where its that cold out, i'd most likely have electric at my campsite (we are not retired yet so camping is limited). We always cook outside (even in the rain under a canopy) on a small grill with little green propane bottles. So that left the propane for fridge, and hot water. LOVE the hot water while boondocking.

BUT

We were forced to go to an EggCamper (all electric) due to my height. Getting used to no propane was not near as hard as I thought it would be. The 12v compressor fridge ran 1 day before the battery died. I installed (2) 6v trojans and now can go about 2.5-3 days with the fridge running before a charge is needed. This solved my "weekend trips" issue. A solar panel may keep the fridge going indefinitely - I don't know.

So, do I get solar? Not yet. I've decided since we dont use propane for much, we can live without it inside the egg. But hot water would be nice, as would A/C or an occasional Microwave. Neither solar nor propane will solve this.

So our future plans is to buy a Honda EU2000 gen. Its very quiet. I can run it (2 hours a day?) to take a hot shower, and top off batteries enough for the next 24 hours. Or run it on the extremes when heat or a/c is needed if we are far enough away where others wont hear it (we camp remotely a lot, local canoe rental, campouts at friends farms, etc).

I don't want to carry gas around. Result? I'm putting 2 propane tanks on the tongue, then converting the Honda gen to run off propane. All propane and lines and connections are outside. No propane inside and EVERYTHING works. Inside is still all electric.

Will this be the end result? I don't know. Will I eventually change the water heater out for a 2-way, or add propane heat? or solar? I don't know yet - not against the idea at all. One step at a time. But for now, we are fine (95% of the time) without propane. I think we will be the additional 5% of the time with the Honda (only taken on trips as needed).

Just my experience so far.....
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